D2 Home

It's been lovely having D2 back here -- especially for her longest visit since she moved to NYC four years ago. She left a job in NJ, to take another one walking distance to her home in Greenwich Village, and the supervisor told her to wait until after July 4 to begin. So D2 hopped the proverbial Billy Joel "flight to Miami Beach" and has been here since Tuesday. We keep her until this Thursday.

Friday am we had a father/daughter workout, custom designed by the guru, Enrique. He put us through a nice cardio and strength routine, and highly praised D2. When he last saw her in March, he noted that while she was thin and in good cardio shape, she needed a lot of strength work, and D2 heeded the guru's advice, and has been following more strength training in NYC. Enrique said she was a "different person," and D2 was proud -- I could tell.

She took my car afterwards and cruised up to Shorecrest, for a sister/sister day. They shared pedicures in Aventura, and then went to So Heavenly to pick up dinner. So Heavenly is a glatt kosher caterer and market, owned by Joey's good friend's parents. The food is delicious, but not, well, cheap...

Wifey and I hit the road around 3:45, and were there for a lovely shabbos dinner. I LOVE that D1 and Joey light candles and observe the holiday. I wish Wifey and I weren't so lazy, and did it, too, but Wifey ain't no challah back girl...

Thursday night Tara had been over -- D2's good friend -- to ask me for some law career advice. I had opened a bottle of Baby Blue, a nice red wine mix, and Friday night D2 and Joey finished it off. I hate wasting good food or wine...

Wifey and I came home, and D2 was going to join us yesterday, but decided to stay with her sister and brother in law. Was it ok with me? It was GREAT with me -- I love the closeness the two Ds have, and encourage it and love when it happens. D2 will come home later today, and we'll take her to visit her ancient grandmother Rachel.

Meanwhile, in the laziness of yesterday, I realized that my old friend Eric's wife, Jackie, was no longer on FaceBook, and therefore I hadn't heard from him in awhile. As we're all getting up in years, my thoughts turned to the dark -- maybe one or both of them had passed on.

I emailed Eric, who lives in Palm Harbor -- and he responded right away. They were fine, but Jackie was off FaceBook -- she works now full time for the St. Petersburg, Florida opera, and no longer does social media. As for Eric -- he was doing consulting work for Boeing -- he has a degree from UCSD in Computer Science, and worked for years in military contracting -- in LA for Northrup Grumman.

For the past years, he has worked for Verizon in Tampa, but missed aeronautics. Well, he told me -- he's now helping with electronic redesign of the systems that troubled the 737 Max -- working, part time, in the field he loves. He promised to tell me when it becomes safe to fly those planes again.

I hesitated to ask about his mother. She is 84, and was living near Eric. Sadly, Sheila has dementia, and went to live in Indiana, with Eric's younger brother and his wife. I guess they're better equipped to care for her. Nice lady -- I wish her well...

Meanwhile, Mike texted from his high school's 40th reunion -- saying there were many old people there he didn't recognize.  It made me happy that I was NOT going to my reunion -- our friend Jeannette's daughter is getting married on that same Fall Saturday, and so we begged off.

But -- turns out that tomorrow is the actual anniversary, 40 years ago, of my high school graduation.  Kenny suggested we have our own reunion -- at a restaurant that was in existence in 1979. I immediately suggested Christy's in Coral Gables.

So we have reservations with our CURRENT prom dates -- Wifey and Joelle. We will meet and toast the passing of four decades. Kenny and I agree we are very lucky fellows, indeed.

And then I plan to savor several more days of D2 in the 305. It's hot as hell in Miami, but I barely notice the weather...